Pioneered in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, baile funk takes inspiration from U.S. music styles like hip hop and Miami bass and infuses them with samba rhythms and Afro-Brazilian sounds.

The exhibition title borrows the Portuguese term, “sem parar,” a phrase commonly used in baile funk songs that translates to “without stopping.” This reference nods to the increasing proliferation of baile funk with a focus on post-internet networks such as Tik Tok and Instagram. Baile funk contributes to a robust history of Brazil’s cultural and artistic exports reaching audiences abroad. Through audiovisual installations and a night of DJ sets by Asphodèle, Sarita Linda, B.Joyce, and ESQ8C “Sem Parar” provides a glance into the numerous channels that baile funk has taken to appear in clubs, on playlists, and algorithms around the world.